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Bullpen session a positive step for Hudson

Bullpen session a positive step for Hudson

PHOENIX -- D-backs starter Daniel Hudson threw off a mound Tuesday for the first time since landing on the 15-day disabled list with a right shoulder impingement on April 21.

The 25-year-old's bullpen session consisted of 30 pitches of mostly fastballs and a handful of breaking balls.

"It felt good," Hudson said. "They just told me to stop, but I wanted to keep going. One more step closer. I feel like I could be out there tomorrow, but it's a slow process. I want to make sure everything is right."

Hudson reported no soreness in his shoulder afterward, but the club will wait to see how he feels tomorrow before scheduling his next outing.

"If that's good, he'll throw a bullpen [session] in two days, then in three days he'll throw live," manager Kirk Gibson said. "If he doesn't feel so good, we'll do two bullpens."

Tuesday was an important step in the right-hander's recovery process, as throwing off an elevated surface creates different challenges for the arm compared with flat ground.

"You never know what's going to happen," Hudson said. "There are some bad thoughts going through your mind. Like what if something goes wrong? But it went well, so it's a huge positive."

Gibson said once Hudson does return to the rotation, he might have to make adjustments to his warmups to help better stay healthy.

"I just think that the way he does certain exercises, he needs a better technique on them now," Gibson said.

Hudson was 1-1 with a 6.00 ERA before heading to the DL for the first time in his career. In his last start on April 18, he held the Pirates to two earned runs over 7 2/3 innings.

"I'm trying to be as positive as possible and take little steps," he said. "I did everything that [the trainers] told me to do. I trust those guys to get me back to where I need to be."